Madman with a Box
by mountainfireflower
Summary: AU: The Doctor, his blue box, and Gwendolen Snow. Off to see the stars and try to escape the ache of loneliness they both feel inside. But when things don't go as planned, the Doctor is suddenly flung into a seemingly mediocre, normal life. Time is running out and the Doctor is forced to face something scarier than all the villains he's ever faced: the fear of being ordinary.
1. Chapter 1

_900 years of time and space and I've never met someone who wasn't important before._

He says these words as he opens the door of his weathered wooden blue box. He runs his fingers along the wood, the wood that has seen galaxies and nations and all of time and space. They've gone through a lot together, him and his box.

_Madman with a box. After all these years._

He steps out into the winter chill, adjusting his tweed jacket. The night lights sparkle above him as snowflakes drift down from the sky in a beautiful dance. She'll be waiting for him. Snow. Gwendolen Snow. She just doesn't know it yet.

The café is on the corner, with a string of twinkling lights on the balcony above. He ducks in the door, the warm atmosphere beckoning him to come in. He hasn't been this warm in a long time. The aroma of coffee and cinnamon. Warm, orange light. He steps into the dim atmosphere and glances around. Ah, there she is. Sitting in a booth, with the orange light reflecting in her hair. She is alone. Lonely. Even better.

He pushes through the café, muttering a few "excuse me's" as he goes. It feels strange to be polite, to be around people, like a glove that doesn't quite fit. He hasn't done this in a long time. He's always been alone.

But hopefully not for much longer.

"Having a pint?" He says, nodding toward the plastic tumbler sitting on the table. He slides into the booth across from her. "I've never quite had the taste for it, but the night is still young."

She gives him a wary glance, an arching of the eyebrow and a hardening of her gaze. "Who are you?"

"Ah, but, see, I think the better question is—who are you? It's infinitely more interesting than who I am. Wouldn't want to bore you."

She blinks. A common reaction. "Gwen," she chokes out, way too fast, then has the expression of one who wishes to take their words right back. She shakes her head slightly. "Gwendolen Snow. Now seriously, who _are _you?"

"The Doctor. Madman with a box… proud owner of a sonic screwdriver, and Time Lord extrordinaire at your service." He leans forward, folding his hands and setting them on the table. "I got your letter."

"…What letter?"

"The one you wrote on one of the worst nights of your life. It's in here." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a crackly piece of paper, yellowed with age. He opens it, clears his throat, and begins to read. " 'I just want an adventure. I want to get out of here. Feel the wind in my sails. I'm lonely. Always lonely. And longing for an adventure. Someone, please… come take me away.' " He folds the letter back up and stares into her eyes. "I am that someone."

"Wh—where did you find that?" Her eyes are full of questions, her muscles tense. Ready to run.

"In a trunk in 22nd century France." He smiles, his voice drops to a whisper. "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me."

"It's… it's not a secret." She smooths her hands down her skirt and fidgets with her glass. "Now if you'll excuse me, I… have to go. My boyfriend—"

"Gwen. Don't lie to me." He puts a hand on hers, stopping her. "You're afraid. You're running."

"Who are you?" Her voice rises in intensity. "You think you can just come in here and… ruin my life?"

"I'm not ruining your life." Another smile softens the corners of his lips. "I'm changing it."


	2. Chapter 2

"Okay… okay, you know what? This is just creepy." She picks up her purse and slings it over her shoulder. "I am going to find my boyfriend, and we're leaving."

"Sure. My TARDIS is just parked around the corner." He stands too. "I'll meet you there."

"No! I don't want to go with you in your stupid… TARDIS." She glares. "I'm fine. Absolutely fine."

"You know, that's funny, because I have a letter in my pocket that says something completely different."

"I don't know who you are, or where you got that letter, but your magic tricks are ridiculous. Please. Stop."

"Gwen. Gwen, Gwen, Gwen. Just come on. One hop in the TARDIS. One jaunt around the universe. We'll be back before teatime. Promise."

"I'm not going."

"You know you want to. You know that all your life you've been waiting for this moment." He grabs her shoulders. "Just come on. Please."

If you could feel the ache of his two broken hearts it would break your own in half. The words hang in the air, pulsing along with his heartbeats. _Come on. Please. Come on. Please. I need you. So very lonely…_

Her eyes seem to hold the weight of the world as she searches his gaze, wondering. _Should I stay, or should I go? _It's a question he's asked himself so many times. If only he didn't love his companions so, so much. One would think him crazy to be chasing after this one, after Gwendolen Snow.

He is a madman, after all.

"Look, I—" Gwen stops, her words hanging in the air. A man in a black tuxedo appears and taps her on her right shoulder. Her words catch in her throat. "Gaston. Really. Buzz off for one night, will you?"

The man has pale skin, black hair. "Of course. May I buy you a drink?"

"No. Actually, we were just leaving." She loops her arm through the Doctor's. "Weren't we?"

"We were, actually." He nods, pleasantly surprised by this turn of events. "Nice meeting you, I'm the Doctor." He sticks his hand out. Gaston shakes it. "But I'm afraid now we need to be going." He senses Gwen's discomfort. Without another word, he whisks her out the door.

"So who was that?" He asks as they walk down the snowy pavement.

She stiffens. "No one."

"Oh, come on. I saved your life from that man, and you can't have the decency to tell me who he is?"

She shoots him a look. This one has spunk. "No, _Doctor_, you did not save my life. Secondly, though, his name is Gaston, and you would do well to avoid him in the future."

"As would you, I would imagine." He waves his hand in the air. "And my TARDIS would provide the perfect escape."

"I told you, I'm not going with you in your TARDIS."

"Would you rather go back to the café with that… Gaston fellow?"

"No, of course not, but we have other options."

An amused grin peeks out of his face involuntarily. "Such as…?"

"Well, a car, for one."

"Ah, a car… so outdated." He tickles her in the ribs. "Come on! Try something new for a change."

"In a TARDIS." There's that deadpan stare again. Spunk. He likes it.

"Of course!"

"What is it?"

If he isn't mistaken, now she's curious. Good. His influence is working. "It's a time machine. It'll take you anywhere you want to go. And I do mean anywhere."

A glow slowly lights up her eyes. "So… you could take me to Africa."

"If you wanted."

"And Mars?"

"We could do that too."

"Look, what insane asylum did you escape from?"

"Not sure, can't remember anymore." He smiles, and winks, and a smile slightly softens the corners of her mouth, too. She can't help it. Good. His influence is once again working. "Come on. Give it a go."

"So it's a time machine, you said?"

"Yes, though it's so much more." The memory of Idris pops into his mind. Oh, not now.

"I'm coming."

"Really, now? The illustrious Gwen has deemed me worthy of her attention and time?" He tugs on his coat lapels. "Well, well. Isn't that an honor?"

"Don't be stupid." She pokes him in the arm. "And I need to get back here at this exact precise time. Hunter will be waiting for me."

"And hopefully not Gaston." They reach the TARDIS now, which has collected a few piles of snow in his absence. "Well, here she is. My home, my vehicle, and my longest companion." If only those words aren't as true as they are.

"It's a police box." Her voice is flat, clearly not impressed. "Are you sure this is a time machine?"

"Absolutely."

Her eyes narrow. "And are you _sure _you're not insane?"

"No, I'm actually not positive on that." He opens the door, and holds out his hand in a sweeping gesture. "Get in, darling—the world awaits."


End file.
